Internal cable discharge device



y 2, 1967 R. R. CHOLIN 3,316,974

INTERNAL CABLE DISCHARGE DEVICE Filed June 18, 1965 United States Patent 3,316,974 INTERNAL CABLE DISCHARGE DEVICE Roger R. Cholin, 175 Saw Mill River Road, Elmsford, N.Y. 10523 Filed June 18, 1965, Ser. No. 464,991 3 Claims. (31. 16926) This invention in abstract relates to a cable operated discharge device for dry powder fire extinguishers. In this device the end of the cable near the fuisible link is tension wound around a spring loaded wheel held in a predetermined position by said link. The other end of the tensioned cable engages a lever bar which maintains a coil spring in a captive relationship. The tensioned cable of this invention is disposed in the pipe conduit used for the discharge of the dry powder fire extinguishing chemicals upon the fire.

According to this invention the cable running from the fusible metal plug to the dry powder chemical tank is disposed in a tubular pipe.

This invention is illustrated in ing in which;

FIG. 1 is a schematic front elevation view of the device showing in dotted outline the position of the link post with release of the spring tension on the cable,

FIG. 2 is a side view of the cable means used to operatively discharge the dry powder chemical tank,

FIG. 3 is longitudinal section view of the fusible link operative means,

FIG. 4 is a section view taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is a side view of a swingable rod connected to the cable in lieu of a wheel, and

FIG. 6 is a side view of the manner of connecting the cable to the wheel wherein separation of the fusible link causes the spring to exert a positive pull on the cable.

Turning to the drawing, a stanchion 10 is provided with a cross arm 11 to which is secured by conventional means a conventional holder 12 for an actuator coil spring 13. Spring 13 is biased against a moveable washer 14. The washer 14 and the spring are both disposed up a rod 15 fixed to the holder 12.

The washer 14 is disposed directly over a trip lever 16 adapted to turn open the outlet valve of the dry powder fire extinguishing tank 17.

The trip lever 16, tank 17, gauge 18 and outlet valve from the tank 17 are of conventional manufacture.

The outlet valve from tank 17 preferably is of the moveable piston type using a rubber O-ring.

The discharge from the outlet valve is to a discharge the accompanying drawconduit 19 to a housing 20 having a fusible link 21 there- An important feature of this invention is the provision of cable means to actuate the discharge of the tank contents within the discharge conduit 19 and connected to the fusible link 21.

The housing 20 is tubular in construction and is internally threaded at each end. A rotatable axle 22 is disposed through suitable opposing apertures in the housing 20 extending suitably outside the housing and a grooved wheel 23 is fixedly keyed to said axle 22 within said housing.

The free protruding end of the axle 22 is provided with a keyed or fixed wheel 24.

A suitable coil spring 25 is secured at one end 26 within a well in the housing 20 and at the other end 27 in the other fixed wheeel 24.

The housing 20 is provided with an integral post 28 fixedly secured in turn to another integral upright post 29.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a post 30 is secured integrally to wheel 24 and is disposed in suitable spaced relationship to post 29. A suitable dual apertured fusible link 31 of conventional manufacture is disposed over the posts 29 and 30 when these posts are both in up right position.

As shown in FIG. 1, a steel cable the grooved wheel 23 and secured at one end fixedly thereto. The cable 35 is completely disposed in the discharge conduit to the junction nipple 36 where it communicates with open conduit 37 of suitable internal dimensions to permit free movement of the cable 35 therein.

The other end of the cable 35 is secured to a lever bar 39 which is swingably journaled on pin 40 to the support bar 11. The lower end of the lever bar 39 is provided with a suitably cut notch 41, adapted to be biased against washer 14 when in a spring loaded relationship thereto.

In the operation of the device of FIG. I, rotation of the post 30 clockwise causes the lever notch 41 to engage the washer 14 and push it upwardly against the spring 13 until the fusible link 21 is disposed upon the posts 29 and 30. The apparatus in this spring loaded position is in a position to be operated should a fire melt the solder disposed between the links of the fusible link. Where a fire does separate these two link components, the post 30 is rotated counterclockwise (FIG. 1) because of the force on post 30. This permits coil spring 13 to push the lever bar 41 away and cause the washer 1-4 to strike the lever 16 with a firm force to thereby open the valve on tank 17 to permit the dry powder fire extinguishing chemicals to travel into and through conduit 19 and housing 20 to a nozzle (not shown) generally secured to the outlet end of the housing 20. The nozzle used to distribute the chemicals may be one of many different kinds depending upon the pattern of distribution desired for the emerging chemicals.

In lieu of a wheel 23, a bar 23X may be used, since its function is equivalent to that of a wheel.

Also as shown in the drawing, the cable may be secured to the underside of the wheel 23 or bar 23X to effect a positive pull on a suitably positioned lever bar 39 to cause the bar 39 to be positively pulled away from the washer 14.

This invention is of ed to the illustrations I claim:

1. A cable device for actuating a tank of fire extinguishing chemicals comprising a tubular conduit disposed between said tank and the fire source, a flexible cable disposed within said conduit; fusible metal spring loaded cable means comprising a tubular housing removably secured to said conduit, an upright pillar fixedly secured to said housing, an axle disposed transversely in opposed walls of said housing and protuding therefrom, cable securing means secured fixedly to said axle within said housing, a post secured to said axle extension, a coil spring disposed about said axle extension and secured at one end to said housing and at the other end to said post and a fusible metal link disposed between said stationary pillar and the rotatable spring loaded post spring loaded striker means disposed over and adapted to actuate said tank, and lever release means secured to the other end of said cable and engaging said "striker means whereby melting of said fusible metal releases the spring loaded tension on the lever release means thereby causing the spring loaded striker means to open the tank outlet to permit passage of said chemicals through said conduit to extinguish said fire source.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said spring loaded striker means comprises support means, a rod dependingly secured to said support means adjacent said tank, coil spring disposed around said rod, and an apertured striker weight disposed around said rod and against said coil 35 is disposed over a broad scope and thus is not limitshown herein.

3 ipring, said weight being adapted to open the valve of said tank upon actuation.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said lever release means comprises a lever bar journaled in its middle r0: tatably to said support means, and secured at its top to said cable, said lever bar having a suitable notch therein adapted to slidably engage said striker weight when in operative position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,519,350 8/1950 Cahusac 169-26 EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CABLE DEVICE FOR ACTUATING A TANK OF FIRE EXTINGUISHING CHEMICALS COMPRISING A TUBULAR CONDUIT DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID TANK AND THE FIRE SOIURCE, A FLEXIBLE CABLE DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CONDUIT; FUSIBLE METAL SPRING LOADED CABLE MEANS COMPRISING A TUBULAR HOUSING REMOVABLY SECURED TO SAID CONDUIT, AN UPRIGHT PILLAR FIXEDLY SECURED TO SAID HOUSING, AN AXLE DISPOSED TRANSVERSELY IN OPPOSED WALLS OF SAID HOUSING AND PROTUDING THEREFROM, CABLE SECURING MEANS SECURED FIXEDLY TO SAID AXLE WITHIN SAID HOUSING, A POST SECURED TO SAID AXLE EXTENSION, A COIL SPRING DISPOSED ABOUT SAID AXLE EXTENSION AND SECURED AT ONE END TO SAID HOUSING AND AT THE OTHER END TO SAID POST AND A FUSIBLE METAL LINK DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID STATIONARY 